Meditate a Little: Keep calm and Carry on With the Holidays!

Wow, it is a busy time of year, isn’t it?

This is my busiest month by far. On top of being a business owner working 9-9 through the week and working most Saturdays, this month adds shopping for gifts, creating cards, and dropping by holiday parties. (How did it get to be one week before December 25? I have no idea.)

You know the saying “when it rains, it pours”? Well, my website had some technical difficulties last week which added several hours of tech support. Then my printer broke so I have to get a new one. You probably know how important a printer is for business, and I was going to mail out a few holiday letters this week. So, should I add research and purchase a printer to my list of last-minute things-to-do this week, or get the notes printed elsewhere? It’ll be a Hail-Mary pass with that one. Needless to say- if you’re busy, I get it!

One thing that helps to keep my stress levels way down is a short meditation in the morning.

After a few targeted stretches to my hips and shoulders, I sit down for a few minutes to mindfully relax my body and purposefully calm my nervous system. Then, I try to be present for a few minutes, concentrating on the feeling of my body on the floor, my breath coming in and out, and the sounds of the city around me. Sometimes I open my eyes to appreciate the room I’m sitting in, or the scenery in front of my eyes. The whole time I’m letting go of any conversation that pops into my head and returning to focus on feedback from my five senses.

For the second half of the meditation, I do some envisioning: imagining my day going perfectly, accomplishing all of my big goals successfully and without stress. The meditation can be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes depending on how much time I can spare. I do it with a timer so I’m not distracted by looking at my watch.

My best days unfold when I give myself even the smallest amount of time to meditate.

I can guide you through a 7-minute, short meditation here. If you’re a beginner it can be difficult to meditate on your own, so having someone to guide you can really help. It’s also a great recording if you’re on the go and don’t have much time, yet want to bring the stress down.